An exhibition that’s “illuminating and showstopping with DIY punk aesthetic” has opened in Blackpool.
Linder: The Return of Linderland opened at the Grundy Art Gallery last weekend, sharing the artist’s drawings, heritage and influences.
Linder’s work is perhaps most recognisable from working with the punk rock band Buzzcocks. Her album cover for one of the band’s 1970s singles is an emblematic image of the British punk scene.
The exhibition is a reconceived version of Linder’s landmark exhibition Danger Came Smiling, which has toured the UK since premiering at London’s Hayward Gallery in 2025.
It is Linder’s first solo exhibition in the North West since 2000 though, with Blackpool chosen specially by the artist, who has roots in the region.
Her works will be exhibited alongside rarely seen drawings and a seascape by the North West painter LS Lowry. Paintings from the Grundy’s own collection will also feature throughout the exhibition space, each piece picked out by Linder.
Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council and cabinet member for tourism, arts and culture, said:
Linder: The Return of Linderland is curated by Hayward Gallery Touring.
Brian Cass, Head of Hayward Gallery Touring, added:
Linder: The Return of Linderland features a selection of Linder’s trailblazing photomontages along with early drawings, showcasing her experimental approaches and feminist impulses through all her thought-provoking works. A series of the artist’s films will also be shown, featuring Blackpool cowboys, Manchester ‘Jack the lads’, and Linder’s own bodybuilding.
Linder first rose to prominence in the 1970s, against the backdrop of punk and post-punk music. She gained widespread recognition with her band, Ludus, and for her ground-breaking album covers for bands like the Buzzcocks.
Five decades on, Linder is an internationally recognised artist who has turned her creativity to fashion, music, performance, perfume, textiles, and film. The raw and abrasive energy of Linder’s DIY punk aesthetic is influenced by religious art, surrealism, mysticism, pornography and the shifting landscape of social media.
Drawings and a seascape by LS Lowry will also be exhibited as part of Grundy’s Summer Programme. These atypical drawings of mannequins and dancers, on loan from The Lowry in Salford, are rarely seen. They rewrite our understanding of the artist famed for his paintings.
Brendel plant models, on loan from Gallery Oldham, will also feature in the Summer Programme. These were chosen to reflect Linder’s fascination with the botanical world.
Linder has also chosen a selection of paintings from Grundy’s collection, with pieces from late 19th and mid-20th century painters. Each piece chosen reflects her North West roots, eclectic interests and influences, and the role of women in art and society.
The exhibition will be supported by a programme of public talks and workshops. Please visit thegrundy.org for more information.
Grundy is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4:45pm (last entry at 4:20pm). It is closed Sundays and Bank Holidays. Entry is free.
The Summer Programme exhibition runs from 18th July to 3rd October.
Linder: The Return of Linderland is recommended for audiences aged 16 and over. The exhibition includes depictions of nudity and images of a sexual nature.